Norseman

Norseman is the southern gateway to Western Australia. It marks the end of the epic Eyre Highway that spans 1,675 kilometres across the Nullarbor Plain - the largest limestone karst landscape on Earth. It invites you to explore the world's biggest temperate woodland, witness spring wildflower displays and practice your swing on the longest golf course on the planet - Nullarbor Links.

From Kalgoorlie or Esperance, Norseman is an easy two hour drive away. However, you'll need to allow at least two days if you're tackling the 17 hour drive across the Nullarbor from Port Augusta in South Australia - more if you want to stop and take in the Great Australian Bight and Nullarbor caves, or play the world's longest golf course, from Ceduna to Kalgoorlie.

Whether you take the long or the short route, you'll see some magnificent outback landscapes, from ancient rocky outcrops and salt lakes to the Great Western Woodlands that cover 160,000 square kilometres - the largest and healthiest temperate woodland on Earth. In global terms, that's as biologically significant as Africa's Serengeti or South America's Amazon.

Breathtaking panoramas of Norseman's landscapes can be enjoyed just two kilometres from town at Beacon Hill. Sit and take in the view, follow the bushland walk trail, or read about the region's rich mining history.

The town actually takes its name from a horse. Legend has it that Laurie Sinclair's horse 'Norseman' scraped the ground with his hoof and unearthed the first gold nugget in 1894. His find also led to the discovery of one of the richest quartz reefs ever mined in Australia.

For a walk through the region's mining history, pay a visit to Phoenix Park, where winding pathways lead you by relics and informative signs telling the stories of Norseman's past. The 15 minute drive to Dundas Rocks will take you back even further as you cast your eyes on rock dating back 550 million years.

A welcome rest stop for travellers making the epic journey across the Nullarbor, Norseman offers showers, toilets and barbecues, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a good selection of accommodation.